Kelly’s problems with alcohol abuse began in 2003, following a miscarriage, and led to her exit from the popular FOX show. Just last year she told ABC News, “I had lost a baby. As a result of that I lost everything and I was abusing alcohol.”

“It’s not a surprise to me. She was fighting addiction for a long time,” Gilliam said. “She suffered late stage alcoholism and battled prescription drug addiction.

“She was a person who had great talent, lost a baby and there was a marriage break-up. And she lost the show. Something broke inside of her and she couldn’t cope with it.”

Over the years Kelly had several run-ins with the law, including an arrest in June on suspicion of DUI.

Gilliam was also convicted of domestic battery that same month after assaulting Kelly and sentenced to three years probation.

Shortly after, Kelly reportedly filed for divorce.

Gilliam says her addiction was so severe that she was hospitalized a handful of times in the last year due to drug and alcohol related incidents.

He adds that as a result of an injury she suffered on set in 2012 she started taking pills.

“It was so serious that she couldn’t drink for a day or two without it turning into pancreatitis,” he said. “She was in a weakened condition and it caught up with her.

“When you add alcohol with a bad heart, you can’t last.

“She just struggled,” he added.

“You can’t abuse your body on and off for 20 years and it not catch up.”